Immune responses to resolve different pathologies, such as those seen in viral infections, bacterial infections, cancer, and allergic reactions are important to the overall health of the host. Successful resolution of infections, cancer, or allergic reactions may depend on the type and magnitude of the immune response. Immunizations, whereby antigen is used to elicit further immune responses, may be helpful in successfully resolving the infections, cancers, and/or allergic reactions. It would be desirable to have a method of immunization that would enable the immune system to address all the aforementioned infections and diseases.
While vaccination protocols have been some of the great medical achievements in the last century, there are still conditions where an effective immune response has been difficult to generate. For example, human tumor immunotherapy has met with only limited success. Among the reasons for this has been the limited availability of tumor-associated antigens, and an inability to deliver such antigens in a manner that renders them immunogenic. In other instances, the need for a fast immune response is not met by current vaccine technology.
In the continual pursuit for safer and more effective vaccines, new technologies, including recombinant, purification and synthetic methods, have been used to improve the quality and specificity of antigens used. Purified, sub-unit and synthesized antigens demonstrate increased safety but diminished immunogenicity, which has been one driver for identification of effective adjuvants. Adjuvants are generally compounds, that when administered with an antigen (either in conjunction with, or given prior to the administration of the antigen) enhances and/or modify the immune response to that particular antigen.
The present invention provides novel immunogenic compositions that exhibit improved immunogenicity; and methods of use of such compositions.